Crankshaft rotating tool



Nov. 10, 1936. D. s. s'rouFr-ER CRANKSHAFT ROTAIING TOOL Filed May 29,1935 Patented Nov. l10, 1936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFQ 7 Claims.

The invention relates to a crank shaft rotating tool. It has beenprimarily designed for use upon crank shafts of internal combustionengines, such as for example, automobile engines. In doing various typesof repair work, assembly and disassembly of internal combustion engines,there are occasions to rotate the crank shaft into various positions.This is particularly true in doing such work as inserting pistons intothe cylinders or removing them, together with their connecting rods.

Heretofore, it has been customary for the mechanic working beneath theengine block to require an assistant to rotate the crank shaft by meansof a crank. This not only required the time and work of an additionalman but was faulty in that it was difficult to impart the properinstructions to the assistant in properly positioning the crank shaftfor the desired purpose.

An object of the present invention is to provide a crank shaft rotatingtool which may be applied to a crank pin and/or a crank throw of a crankshaft so as to enable the mechanic working on the engine beneath theblock to rotate the crank shaft himself for the desired purpose whileworking in a position beneath the block. In this way the use of anassistant and the difculties involved in imparting instructions to theassistant in rotating the crank shaft are dispensed with.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crank shaft rotatingtool of relatively simple and durable construction and which may beeasily and quickly applied to a crank shaft to enable it to be rotatedand to enable sufficient leverage to be applied that a mechanic caneasily rotate the crank shaft while working beneath the engine block.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crank shaft rotatingtool which can be applied to a crank shaft and which will enable properleverage to be applied thereto which is of such design as to be disposedwholly within the path of the crank pin of the crank shaft so that onturning the crank shaft there is no danger of the tool being moved intosuch position as to encounter adjacent structure, such as a part of thecrank case.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be mademanifest in the following detailed description, and specifically pointedout in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawingfor an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a crank shaft,illustrating the crank shaft rotating tool in applied position thereon.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line 2--2 uponFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the tool 5 taken in the directionof the arrow 3 upon Fig.

l, parts of the tool being broken away and shown in vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 4 4 uponFig. 3. 10

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout,the improved tool comprises an arcuate body generally designated at I0having a web II which is peripherally flanged 15 as at I2 and socketedwith a plurality of sockets I3. At about the center of the body there isformed a large recess I4 in which the lower ends of jaws I5 and I6extend. These jaws have their inner faces preferably lined with a softermaterial, such as Babbitt metal indicated at II, so that when they areapplied to a crank pin of the crank shaft they will not scar or mar thecrank pin.

A pair of pivot pins I8 and I9 extend trans- 25 versely across recessIll, the pivot pin I8 extending through an aperture in jaw I6 andthrough an arcuate slot 20 in jaw I5. Conversely, pivot pin I9 extendsthrough an aperture in jaw I5 and an arcuate slot 2l in jaw I6. Belowthe pivot pins the jaws extend downwardly into the recesses and each isprovided with a lateral extension 22 extending across the recess so thatthe bottom of each jaw extends entirely across recess Iii. In the bottomof recess Ill there is a 35 threaded aperture for the reception of athreaded screw 23, the top of which is coned and extends between thebottoms of the jaws I5 and I6. Preferably, the bottom edges of the jawsare recessed co-mplementary to the coned top 40 of the screw.

An aperture 241 extends through the body to enable the insertion of aturning rod 25 which may be provided at its upper end with a screwdriver end 26 to be inserted into the screw driver 45 slot in the bottomof the screw so that the screw can be rotated by means of the turningrod. On turning the turning rod the screw may be advanced upwardly intoengagement with the bottom edges of the jaws and the jaws may be causedto contract in clamping engagement with the crank pin of the crankshaft.

The web I'I is horizontally thickened as indicated at 2l and in thisthickened portion there are formed a plurality of rectangular apertures55 28 on each side of the center of the body. Small steel bars 29 and 30are receivable in any of these apertures by being merely caused to slidetherein so that these bars project laterally from the side of the body.At their outer ends clamping screws 3l and 32 are threaded therein. Theturning rod can be removed from aperture 24 and is receivable in any ofthe sockets I3, in which case it acts at a turning rod or lever forturning the entire tool as well as the cr-ank shaft. The sockets arepreferably arranged in the manner shown on Fig. 3.

When a mechanic has occasion to work on an engine having a crank shaft Cand anticipates that during his work he will have occasion to rotatablyadjust the crank shaft into any of a number of rotatably adjustedpositions, he rst retracts screw 23 into such position as to enable thejaws l5 and I6 to separate and be slipped over the crank pin P. Then, byrot-ating turning rod 25, screw 23 is advanced upwardly to contract thejaws into snug clamping engagement with the crank pin. Just prior totightening the jaws the tool is rotated about the crank pin as a centeruntil the apertures 28 are opposite both sides of a crank throw T. Thejaws are then tightened and bars 29 and 30 are inserted in the apertures28 on opposite sides of the crank throw. The clamping screws 3| and 32are then tightened into engagement with the sides of the crank throw.With the tool thus applied turning effort applied to the tool will notbe transmitted entirely to the surface of the crank pin alone but willbe largely transmitted through bars 29 and 3S to the sides of theadjacent crank throw. By then using the turning bar 25 as a lever thecrank shaft can be rotatably adjusted into any desired position so thatthe mechanic may properly position it in any position which his work mayrequire. The turning rod 25 can be removed from aperture 24 and insertedin any of the sockets i3 that is most convenient. Preferably, the end ofthe turning rod is bent laterally as shown and this end is likewisereceivable in any of the sockets.

It will be noted that the entire tool when in applied position isdisposed entirely within the path circumscribed by crank pin P.Consequently, the crank shaft may be completely rotated without dangerof the body of the tool fouling against -adjacent structure, such as aportion of the crank case.

When the bars 29 and 30 are inserted in apertures 28 it is not necessaryto fasten them in the apertures, as tightening of the clamping screwswill, by the reactionary forces, cause these bars to be frictionallyheld or to bind in the apertures. The reason that a plurality ofapertures are formed in the body is to enable use of the tool upon crankshafts having various widths of crank throws. And the reason for havingthe bars slidable in the apertures is to enable transverse adjustmentsto accommodate themselves to the various crank throws.

From the above described construction, it will be appreciated that acrank shaft rotating tool has been provided which is a relatively simpleconstruction, is durable, and may be easily and quickly applied to acrank shaft to enable its being rotated without danger of scarring ormarring any of the bearing surfaces thereon.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A crank shaft rotating tool comprising a body, a turning barapplicable to the body in any of a plurality of positions and by whichthe body and a crank shaft to which the body may be applied may beturned, and means on the body for attaching the body to both a crank pinand a crank throw of the crank shaft.

2. A crank shaft rotating tool comprising a body, a turning barapplicable to the body in any of a plurality of peripheral positions andby which the body and a crank shaft to which the bodymay be applied maybe turned, jaws pivotally mounted upon the body, means for causing thejaws to clampingly engage a crank pin of the crank shaft, and adjustablemeans extending laterally from the body engageable with the adjacentcrank throw.

3. A crank shaft rotating tool comprising a peripherally socketedarcuate body, jaws pivotally mounted upon the body, means for causingthe jaws to contract to clampingly engage a crank pin of a crank shaft,there being transversely extending apertures extending through the body,bars receivable in the apertures so as to project laterally therefrom,means on the bars adapted to engage the sides of a throw adjacent thecrank pin, and a turning bar receivable in any of the sockets.

4. A crank shaft rotating tool comprising a peripherally socketedarcuate body, said body having a relatively large recess at about itscenter, jaws pivotally mounted in the recess, screw means threadedlymounted upon the body engageable with the jaws to contract them intoclamping engagement with the crank pin of a crank shaft, a turning barreceivable in any of the sockets, there being transversely extendingapertures in the body, bars receivable therein, and means carried by thebars engageable with the sides of a crank throw adjacent the crank pin.

5. A crank shaft rotating tool comprising a peripherally socketedarcuate body, means for attaching the body to a crank pin of a crankshaft, a turning bar receivable in any of the sockets, and meansextending laterally from the body engageable with the crank throwadjacent the crank pin.

6. A crank shaft rotating tool comprising a peripherally socketedarcuate body, means for attaching the body to a crank pin of a crankshaft, a turning bar receivable in any of the sockets,'bars adjustablymounted upon the body for adjustment laterally with respect thereto, andmeans carried by the bars engageable with a crank throw adjacent thecrank pin.

7. A crank shaft rotating tool comprising a body, clamping means on thebody adapted to be caused to clamp upon the crank pin of a crank shaft,crank throw engaging means on the body adapted to be caused to engage athrow of the crank shaft adjacent the crank pin, and means for applyinga turning effort to the body in any of a plurality of positions withrespect to the body.

DANIEL S. STOUFFER.

